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MOUNT VERNON HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION AND DISEASES OF THECHEST, Hampstead.-House Physician. Salary DISEASES annum, with board, residence, and washing. Also House Physician at with board, residence. and washing. Also House Physician atNorthwood. Salary 275 per annum, with board, residence, andwashing.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE DISPENSARY.-Visiting Medical Assistant. SalaryB160 per annum.

NEWPORT AND MONMOUTHSHIRE HOSPITAL.-Two Resident MedicalOfficers. Salaries in each case at rate of first four months £80 perannum, second four months £100 per annum, third four monthsB120 per annum, with board, residence, and laundry.

NORTHAMPTON GENERAL HOSPITAL.-House Surgeon, unmarried.Salary £90 per annum, with apartments, board, washing, and

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attendance. -- --

NOTTINGHAM CHILDREN’s HOSPITAL.-House Surgeon (female) for sixmonths. Salary at rate of £100 per annum, with apartments, board,and washing.

NOTTINGHAM CITY ASYLUM.-Locum Tenens (July). Salary 4 guineasper week, with board, &c.

NOTTINGHAM GENERAL DISPENSARY.-Assistant Resident Surgeonunmarried. Salary 2160 per annum, with apartments, attendance,

light, and fuel.NOTTINGHAM WORKHOUSE INFIRMARY.-Resident Assistant MedicalOfficer, unmarried. Salary :E150 per annum, with apartments,board, washing, and attendance.

PORTSMOUTH BOROUGH.-Assistant Medical Officer for the Inspection ofSchool Children. Salary at rate of :E250 per annum.

PRINCE OF WALES’8 GENERAL HOSPITAL, Tottenham, N.-Junior HousePhysician. Salary :260 per annum, with residence, board, and

laundry. Also Honorary Anaesthetist. Also Honorary SurgicalRegistrar.

QuEEN’8 HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN, Hackney-road, Bethnal Green,N.E.-House Surgeon for six months. Salary at rate of £80 perannum, with board, residence, and washing.

ROYAL WATERLOO HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN AND WOMEN, S.E.-Senior Resident Medical Officer. Salary at rate of ;S70 perannum, with board and washing. Also Visiting Anaesthetist.Salary at rate of :E25 per annum.

ST. GEORGE’S UNION INFIRMARY, Fulham-road, S.W.-SecondAssistant Medical Officer. Salary :E130 per annum, with board,residence, and washing.

ST. LEONARDS-ON-SEA, BUOHANAN HOSPITAL.-House Surgeon.SALISBURY INFIRMARY.-Assistant House Surgeon. Salary B50 per

annum, with apartments, board. lodging, and washing.SHEFFIELD, JESSOP HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN.-Assistant House Surgeon.

Salary £40 per annum.SHEFFIELD ROYAL HOSPITAL.-Sixth Resident, unmarried. Salary i860

per annum, with board, lodging, and washing. SOUTHAMPTON FREE EYE HOSPITAL.-House Surgeon. Salary £100

per annum, with board, lodging, and laundry.STROUD URBAN AND RURAL DISTRICTS AND NAILSWORTH URBAN

DISTRICT.-Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Inspector.Salary about £515 per annum.

STAFFORD, STAFFORDSHIRE GENERAL INFIRMARY.-House Physician.Salary £100 per annum, with board, residence, and laundry.

TEIGNMOUTH HOSPITAL, S. Devon.-House Surgeon. Salary £100 perannum, with board, lodging, and laundry.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS GENERAL HOSPITAL.-House Physician, unmarried.Salary .cI00 per annum, with board, residence, &.c.

WAKEFIELD GENERAL HOSPITAL.-Second House Surgeon, unmarried.Salary E120 per annum, with board, lodging, and washing.

WARRINGTON INFIRMARY AND DISPENSARY.-Junior House Surgeon.Salary at rate of £100 per annum, with board, lodging, andlaundry.

WESTERN OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, Marylebone-road, W.-Non-residentHouse Surgeon. Salary B50 per annum.

WEST LONDON HOSPITAL.-Physician. Also Non-resident CasualtyOfficer for six months. Salary at rate of £100 per annum, andlunch.

WINCHESTER. ROYAL HAMPSHIRE COUNTY HOSPITAL.-House Phy-sician. Salary .cgO per annum.

WOLVERHAMPTON AND STAFFORDSHIRE GENERAL HOSPITAL.-House Surgeon for six months. Salary L80 per annum, withboard, rooms, and laundry.

WOMEN’S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN (Out-patient Department), 688,Harrow-road.-Assistant Surgeon (female).

THE Chief Inspector of Factories, Home Office, London, S.W., givesnotice of a vacancy as Certifying Surgeon under the Factory andWorkshop Acts at Frodingham, in the county of Lincoln.

Births, Marriages, and Deaths.BIRTHS.

TOVEY.-On May 6th, at Kaponga. Taranaki, New Zealand, the wife ofArthur Hamilton Tovey, M.R.C.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. Lond., of a

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daughter. --

MARRIAGES.COLT-DICK.-On June 12th, at Chalfont St. Giles Parish Church, by

the Rev. James McIvor Stephens, M.A., George Herbert Colt, M.A.,M.B., F.R.C.S., of 12, Bon Accord-square, Aberdeen, son of the lateFrederick Hoare Colt, Barrister and Bencher of the Inner Temple,London, to Henrietta Dodgshun, daughter of the late Thomas Dickand of Mrs. Dick, 12, Springbank-terrace, Aberdeen.

DEATHS.WATERS.-On June 8th, at 69, Bedford-street, Liverpool, Alderman

Thomas Houghton Waters, M.D., F.R.C.P., aged 86 years.

N.B.-A fee of 5s. is charged for the insertion of Notices of Births,Marriages, and Deaths.

Notes, Short Comments, and Answersto Correspondents.

MALTESE COMMISSION REPORT: MEDITERRANEAN FEVER.

Sir Francis Mowatt, G.C.B., I.S.O., the Right Hon. Russell Rea, M.P.,and Sir Mackenzie Dalziel Chalmers, K.C.B., C.S.I., the Royal Com-missioners appointed to inquire into the tinances, &c., of Malta, haveconcluded their investigations, and their report has just been presentedto Parliament. Subjoined are extracts from it :-

" The origin of the Maltese people is not definitely known. The

type is South European, but the people are fairer in colour, in thetowns at any rate, and have a better appearance than South Italiansor Sicilians. They are a strong, hardy race, and have the reputa-tion of being temperate, thrifty, and industrious. They are cleverand adaptable; generally speaking, however, they appear to lackconfidence in themselves and each other, and to have little power ofcooperation. They are much attached to their native islands, andseldom emigrate to distant countries.

" The hospitals, lunatic asylums, poor-house, and Government dis-pensaries, as well as the distribution of outdoor relief and othercharitable grants, are administered in Malta by the Comptroller ofCharitable Institutions, and in Gozo by the Assistant Secretary of theGovernment....... The Government maintains seven hospitals, fivein Malta and two in Gozo (daily average in 1910-11, 424 patients), alunatic asylum (daily average 750), two poor-houses (daily average1051), a leper asylum (daily average 61), an orphan asylum (dailyaverage 96), and an industrial school (daily average 30). This list doesnot include the quarantine hospital on Comino, which, however, hasonly been used twice during the last six years. There are 28Government dispensaries in Malta, in charge of 22 district medicalofficers, and nine in Gozo, in charge of four district medical officers.In 1910-11 the number of patients advised or treated at the dis-pensaries or at their own homes was, in Malta, 101,167, and in Grozo-18,726." The present position of the island with regard to Mediterranean

fever is, in some respects, far from satisfactory. The researchesof Sir David Bruce and others established beyond doubt thatgoats’ milk was the main source from which human beingsbecame infected. When the supply of fresh milk to the armyand navy was stopped, and imported preserved milk was substitutedthe disease was soon stamped out among soldiers and sailors. But the fever still prevails among the civil population. In 1909-10 therewere 468 cases and 53 deaths, and in 1910-11 there were 300 casesand 35 deaths. Apart from the loss of life and loss of efficiencycaused by the continuance of Mediterranean fever among the

people of Malta, the financial effects are very serious. Some 400

goats, which are found to be infected, are destroyed every year, andcompensation has to be paid to their owners. It seems also thatthe milk of other animals, such as cows and sheep, can convey thedisease. In Gozo large quantities of cheese are made from sheep’smilk, but we were informed that Turkey, which was the bestmarket for this cheese, had prohibited its import on the

ground that the cheese may convey the disease. Obviously,the loss of the milk-supply to the garrison and the fleetmust be a severe blow to the Maltese farmers. The importsof preserved milk are said to amount to something like ClO,000 ayear. We think that further investigation into the genesis ofMediterranean fever should be carried out at once. It is of the

utmost importance to find out how the infection is conveyed togoats and other susceptible animals, and whether it is or is notinherent in the soil, and whether, if the disease is endemic in theisland, it is possible to immunise the susceptible animals. But it

would not be fair to charge the cost of this investigation on Maltaalone. The so-called Mediterranean fever is a widely disseminateddisease. It has been found in the Philippine Islands and in India,and is known in South Africa as camp fever, i and in Gibraltar asrock fever. Any investigation into its origin and the meansof eradicating it is of world-wide importance, and should be

regarded as a general research in tropical medicine, though Maltamay be the most favourable place for studying the disease.

11 It appears to us that the attractions of Malta as a winter resortfor health and pleasure have not been duly appreciated. Some ofthe most rapidly expanding trades in the world are those whichprovide transport and entertainment for the increasing multitudeswho seek health, pleasure, and sunshine in southern latitudes in thewinter. By these Malta is almost entirely passed by, yet Maltacombines some advantages and attractions which can scarcely befound elsewhere. The climate in winter is as sunny as, and more

equable than, that of either the Riviera or Algiers. Frost is almostunknown. The island does not possess the grandeur of scenery ofeither coast of the mainland, but both Malta and Gozo are beautifuland interesting islands. Valetta is the cleanest, and in situationand architecture one of the most beautiful, of the cities

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of the Mediterranean. The two great harbours with their

branch harbours afford excellent water for rowing and sail-

ing. The old ramparts and fortifications, with the numerousand extensive public gardens, provide clean, picturesque, andattractive promenades. The new system of drainage is complete inthe towns, and the water-supply is good. There is a handsome

opera house which is open all the winter. English is spokencommonly in Valetta. The island has the advantage of a largeEnglish garrison and is the headquarters of the MediterraneanFleet. English sports, including golf, are obtainable. As a centre

from which to visit other places Valetta is convenient. Syracusecan be reached by a daily steamer in eight hours and Tunis in18 hours. Both islands are extraordinarily rich in archaeological,historical, and architectural interest. It appeared to us that, withso many attractions, many of which are not shared by any other ofthe places of resort for pleasure and health on the coasts of theMediterranean, it is somewhat singular that Valetta should notpossess any large hotel of the first class. We ascertained that theGovernment are willing to surrender, on advantageous terms, a 1site in a central, beautiful, and commanding position. Such a hotel Iwould add to the convenience and attraction of Malta as a place forwinter residence, and contribute greatly to the prosperity of thecity of Valetta."

NASAL DILATING CLIP.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-With reference to the note in THE LANCET of June 1st, ORp. 1480, of a nasal dilating clip by Mr. H. J. L. Bullen, M.R.C.S., weshould like to point out. in order to prevent a misunderstanding, thatwe have supplied a similar clip, and have listed it in our catalogues since1896 at 9d. each. I am, Sir, yours faithtully,

M. SCHERER A.G.41, Berners-street, London, W., June 5th, 1912.

DISTRICT NURSING AND THE NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT.

THE Lord Mayor presided at the fifty-fifth anniversary of the LondonBiblewomen and Nurses’ Mission on Monday last, their reception atthe Guildhall being ascribed by the Marquis of Northampton to thechairman’s professional interest in their work. Sir Alfred Pearce

Gould, alluding to the Hospital Sunday Fund, said that hospitalsby no means covered the whole field of medical need. Therewere vast numbers of sick and suffering who never wentinto hospital, many did not need to, and many were dischargedincurable, but still needing nursing care. He reminded his hearersthat one effect of the Insurance Act would be that hospitals would beless used, patients would remain at home under the care of their ownlocal doctor, and therefore district nurses would be more in demandthan ever if their treatment was to be carried out satisfactorily.Speaking of the changes which had taken place in the art of nursingduring the last 30 years, he compared, as an example, the old,dirty, heavy poultice, which was."as dead as Queen Anne, and whichevery woman used to think she could make, with the modern asepticdressings requiring absolute oleanliness.aceurate preparation, and skil-ful application. In conclusion, he said it was difficult to kill a mis-

understanding. Because Mrs. Ranyard had started a Biblewomen’sMission, people were apt to think of its members as Gamps; thepresent Ranyard nurse was fully trained, in every respect the sameas the nurses in hospitals or in private homes; there was a mission,but if Christianity was ’not going to make better nurses, therewas no use for Christianity at all.

THE LEAGUE OF MERCY.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-In the Western district of London a branch of the "League ofMercy" has been formed, and the members are desirous of holding aball, or concert and ball, at one of the local town-halls in the autumn toassist the funds of the above, and at the same time to keep in memorythe name of King Edward, who was instrumental in forming the" League of Mercy." With this object in view it has been decided toname the branch King Edward’s Memorial Fund of the League ofMercy."Will any lady or gentleman interested in this kind of work, who

would be willing to assist the committee either by organising, sellingtickets, or to help financially, kindly communicate with me ? Assistancein any form in this good work would be deeply appreciated by thecommittee.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

A F GOLIGHTLY

Hon. Secretary, Western Branch League of Mercy.17, Richmond-place, Lillie Bridge, West Brompton, S.W.,

June 5th, 1912.

THE DANGER OF PETROL IN SEWERS.A GRASE warning, under the head of "Petrol in Sewers-a ModernDanger," has been issued by the Manchester Rivers Committee

regarding the discharging of petrol or other kindred spirits intosewers. The increasing use of petrol for motor vehicles, as well asfor purposes of cleaning fabrics of various kinds, is occasioning a stateof things to which it is important that public attention should be

drawn. InEtances are given where serious loss of life, both in

Manchester and elsewhere, has occurred from the ignition of the veryinflammable vapour discharge from petrol. It has been calculatedthat one gallon of petrol, if vapourised into air, will produce some-thing like 50 cubic yards of explosive mixture. A medium-sized

sewer, running half full, would only require a gallon of petrol toproduce sufficient vapour to blow up some 50 yards of the sewer. In

these circumstances it is of the highest importance that the greatestcare should be taken, not only by the users of petrol in quantity, suchas the proprietors of motor garages, &c., but also by the generalpublic to avoid the discharge of even minute quantities of petrol orallied spirits into the sewers or drains, as these small quantities areliable to accumulate in gulley-traps and in any portions of the sewerswhere the flow is inclined to be sluggish. No more petrol should beused at one time than can be spontaneously evaporated withoutnuisance or danger. It is dangerous to put even a cupful of petroldown the sewers, because it accumulates and very soon becomes a

dangerous quantity. In New York the danger has become acute. The

I committee is contemplating putting up notices in all garages andelsewhere in order that the danger may be known.

THE CHILDREN’S COUNTRY HOLIDAYS FUND.

As long as slums and alleys exist in our midst, so long will it benecessary, in the interests of the public welfare, that the children whoare compelled to live in such vitiated environment should at leasthave a few days’ holiday in the fresh air which the fields of thecountry and the shores of the sea can provide. The moral and

physical good which accrues to such children from contact withwholesome surroundings is impossible to estimate. We havenow several societies whose object is to palliate in this

way some of the evils of poverty, and none of these societiesdoes better work than the Children’s Country Holidays Fund,whose twenty-eighth annual report lies before us. This report,for the year 1911, states that 45,174 poor children, selected

by workers and visitors connected with 63 London local committees,were sent away last year for a fortnight’s holiday in the country.The children were received into cottage homes after careful inquiryand inspection by a band of over 1000 voluntary workers in the

country, who undertake to make all arrangements for them duringtheir holiday. This fund, one-third of the revenue of which is derivedfrom the contributions of the parents of the children sent away, is inwant of help and workers, and we cordially commend it to thecharitable public. All donations should be sent to the Earl of Arran,honorary treasurer, 18, Buckingham-street, Strand, London, W.C..and offers of personal help will be gratefully received by the secretaryat the same address.

R. G. P.-We have frequently referred to the matter; the condition nolonger exists.

COMMUNICATIONS not noticed in our present issue will receive attentionin our next. -

A DIARY OF CONGRESSES.

WE shall publish this diary from time to time that our readers mayhave under their hands the dates of the approaching scientifio Con-gresses. It Is unnecessary to issue the lists of all these funotionsweek by week, and we propose to make only such gatherings as willoccur in the immediate future the subject of regular announcement.The following Congresses, Conferences, and Exhibitions are annonnoealfor June and July:-

May to October (London, Earl’s Court).-Shakespeare’s England.June 12th-22nd (London).—Missionary Exhibition.,, 17th-29th (London, Olympia).-International Horse Show." 21st and 22nd (Middelburg).-Dutch Congress for Public Health

Regulations.,, 23rd-27th (London, Royal Horticultural Hall).-The (Biennialp

Health Conference and Exhibition.,, 29th (Coventry).-Society of Medical Officers of Health (Annual

, Provincial Meeting).I

,, (Birmingham).-Tuberculosis Exhibition." (London, Science Museum, South Kensington).-Second Optical

Convention.

July 2nd-5th (London).-Congress of the Universities of the Empire.2nd-6th (Doncaster).-Seventy-third Annual Show of the Royal

Agricultural Society of England.4th-6th (Dublin).-Celebration of the Bicentenary of the

School of Physic in Ireland (Medical School of TrinityCollege, Dublin).

,, 12th-16th (London).-Imperial Conference of Teachers’ Asso-ciations.

,, 17th-19th (Oxford).-Oxford Ophthalmological Congress.,, 19th-27th (Liverpool).-British Medical Association, Eightieth

Annual Meeting." 24th-30th (University of London).-First International Eugenics

Congress." 25th-28th (Berlin).-Royal Institute of Public Health.26th-31st (Prague).-Sixth International Congress of Radiology

and Medical Electrology.